Free agent forward Dany Heatley is on his last legs, but has found a home in Anaheim with a one-year deal worth $1 million.
Heatley is a goal scoring expert, but has lost some of his flair since signing a six-year, $45 million contract with the Ottawa Senators. Heatley demanded a trade out of Ottawa and landed in San Jose with the Sharks. The Minnesota Wild acquired Heartley for Martin Havlat in July 2011 and he has spent the past three seasons with the team.
Ducks general manager Bob Murray believes this is a match made in heaven and Heatley has gotten a bad reputation due to his declining stats.
“He’s struggled the last couple of years for different reasons,” Murray told the L.A. Times. “A great opportunity presented itself. We’re a good match for each other at this moment.… I think he’s a very proud athlete. It hasn’t gone quite right and I think he knows that somewhere down the line the end is coming. And I don’t think he wants it to end like this.”
The 33-year-old Heatley has scored 50 goals twice in his career and has 372 goals and 419 assists in 863 career games. Despite his past success, Heatley managed only 28 points this past season and was a healthy scratch for the Wild six times toward the end of the season.
Heatley is getting a fresh start in Anaheim while the Ducks are getting a cheap goal scorer who will enhance their lackluster power play offense. This might be an underrated move that works for both sides.
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